In any industry, problems can creep up unnoticed. In fenestration, I know our members talk often about things like the skilled labor shortage, the economy and other crucial factors – and how the risks related to them can be mitigated. If you too are entering 2019 looking for ways to avoid problems before they arise, a speaker at next month’s AAMA conference may be able to help. AAMA is proud to welcome keynote speaker and author Kevin McCarthy, who will present “Welcome to the BlindSpot...

Next month, AAMA will take the time to thank some of its hardest workers during one of my favorite events every year: the AAMA Annual Awards Banquet. This year’s banquet, which will take place during the 82nd Annual Conference, has a classic Hollywood theme, which I’m sure will make it feel at least a little bit like the Oscars. But what I really love about it, and every year’s celebration, is that it gives the association a chance to spotlight the accomplishments of some of...

A previous version of this post ran on the Socially Speaking blog in December 2016.Now that 2018 has passed, it’s time to begin planning for the new year. While companies probably have 2019 budget plans worked out, it’s not a bad idea to give an organization’s social media presence a little extra attention, too. Here are some ideas for content you can create and share, as well as some tips for how to make sure your social media plans get off on the right foot...

2018 has come and gone for AAMA staff, and it’s always interesting to reflect on the year that was. Per a suggestion from practical joker Rich Rinka, Technical Manager, Standards and Industry Affairs, I decided to poll AAMA staff to get the scoop on some of the strangest questions they have gotten from our customer service calls this year. Personally, I will occasionally get a tweet from someone contacting the AAMA Twitter account, mistaking us for the American Association of Medical Assistants. However, my coworkers...

I’ve been working in AAMA’s Technical Department since 2015 and I’ve learned more about windows, doors and skylights than I ever would have imagined when I graduated with my English and Journalism degrees. I always thought I would end up at a publishing company or working in a library. Yet, I’ve found a comfortable place at AAMA as the association’s Technical Standards Coordinator, working with standards and helping our members develop and improve them.AAMA is known for several things in the industry, but for me,...

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about video lately, and the growing popularity of tools like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories are probably why. For a while, AAMA was shooting interviews at conferences to build an inventory of video clips and interviews, but at our most recent conference, we tried something different. We went in with a clear vision of a short video we wanted to produce, one that would be easy to share, and we carried out member interviews to make it happen....

It’s been a busy year for AAMA in a lot of ways, but I am proud that we didn’t lose sight of the importance of helping others despite all the association’s activity. AAMA staff is committed to philanthropy in a lot of ways, including participation in World Vision’s Global 6K for Water this past May, as well as a staff volunteer event this past summer at Feed My Starving Children here in Schaumburg, IL. We held our annual backpack build at the Fall Conference in...

I joined the AAMA Marketing Department almost five years ago, and I am proud to be part of a team and an association that is so committed to its hard-working members. AAMA is constantly working toward bettering its member experience and adding to its slate of services and tools offered.In my role as AAMA Communications Coordinator, I specialize in written communications as well as social media. Have you thought about setting up a Facebook Business page for your company, but feel unsure about where to...

For the last four AAMA conferences, I’ve offered social media workshops on a range of topics. It was great to see several of you who participated in those sessions. So far, members have learned how to make the most out of using LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. During the Q&A section of a recent workshop, I got a great question: Which platform is BEST?As I’ve written before, there’s no simple answer to this question. But it got me thinking about why we choose some platforms over...

During GlassBuild America last month, around 8,600 representatives participated in the show and nearly 400 exhibitors displayed. It was a busy industry event, but companies involved in GlassBuild took the opportunity to talk about key industry matters like sustainability, hurricanes and structural glazing sealants. AAMA members had key roles in the show, and their work proved to have environmental and educational relevance in 2018.In the Express Learning part of GlassBuild, Vik Ahuja from thinkstep presented “Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Why You Need Them.” With...